1. Field of the Invention
An aspect of this disclosure relates to a data management system, a data management method, and a data management apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A file management system stores, provides (sends, delivers, or distributes), and manages electronic files (which are hereafter simply referred to as “files”) such as document files and image files. Such a file management system makes it possible to provide files via a network using, for example, an email or a shared folder. While a file management system enables users to easily share files, it may pose a risk that files are obtained by unauthorized users and distributed to unknown places. Also, a provider of a file cannot determine or manage the status of the file after it is received by a receiver (e.g., whether the file is viewed or printed by the receiver). Thus, a file management system has a security risk.
Here, there exist technologies that allow a provider of a file to determine the status of the file after it is received by a receiver. For example, there is a technology such as the Message Disposition Notification (MDN) for reporting to a sender of an email that a receiver has opened or received the email.
Also, there exist technologies for preventing an unauthorized user from viewing or printing a delivered file containing confidential information. For example, there is a technology for protecting a file with a password. Also, there is a technology (e.g., tint block printing) that makes information in a file illegible when the information is printed by a printer or a multifunction peripheral.
However, MDN can be used only for reception of emails. That is, MDN cannot be used to determine whether (or when) a file, which has been delivered via a protocol such as the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or the Server Message Block (SMB), is opened. Also with the above technologies, it is not possible to determine when and where a delivered file is printed.
Here, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-336315 discloses a system where a sender apparatus and a receiver apparatus are connected to an electronic document delivery server. In the system, a sender operating the sender apparatus can determine the delivery status of an electronic document via the electronic document delivery server.
However, the technology disclosed by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-336315 only makes it possible to confirm the delivery of electronic documents sent from sender apparatuses to receiver apparatuses that are connected to the electronic document delivery server and managed by the system. That is, the technology of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-336315 does not make it possible to confirm the delivery of electronic documents sent to apparatuses not being managed by the system. Accordingly, the technology of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-336315 does not make it possible to determine where and when an electronic document, which is sent to an apparatus not being managed by the system, is viewed or printed. Also, the technology of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-336315 requires a large cost to construct the system.